Lord Rooker, the former food minister, has been appointed chair of the Food Standards Agency, it was confirmed today.

Making the announcement, Andy Burnham, the health secretary, said Rooker would bring "considerable experience and expertise" to the roll.

"I am delighted to appoint Lord Rooker as chair of the Food Standards Agency," Burnham said. "The Food Standards Agency is a key government organisation, protecting millions of consumers across the UK on food safety and nutrition issues."

The appointment was made jointly by the secretary of state for health with the health ministers in the Scottish executive, Welsh assembly and Northern Ireland executive and confirmed today following the recommendation of the health select committee.

Rooker will be paid £54,000 a year for working around eight days a month. The term of the appointment is four years.

Rooker, who will resign the Labour whip to take up his new position on 27 July, said: "It is a privilege to lead the Food Standards Agency and I commit to continuing its ethos of openness, transparency, reliance upon science and putting consumers first."

Rooker was the Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr from 1974 until 2001 when he joined the House of Lords.

During his parliamentary career, Rooker was a minister of state in six government departments including Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Home Office, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. His main government roles included minister for food safety, minister for finance, environment, farming, equality and minister for food and Farming. As minister of state at MAFF Rooker oversaw the establishment of the FSA.